You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammer and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
Note: The dramatic action in this play does not flow in the same manner as that in Trifles, Wedding Band, Real Women Have Curves, and Split Second. For one thing, Mann has built her play around interviews with individuals who lived thru the incidents depicted in the play, such as friends of Milk, reporters who covered the trial, even jurors who spoke out after the trial was over. This approach to the construction of a play is unique and often challenging to readers. It generally works well on the stage but not so well in the study. We see another playwright use this technique with very different results in Fires in the Mirror. So, the questions posed about the construction of the play do not easily follow Ball’s method of analysis.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The opening scene tells the audience what has happened to Moscone and Milk by Feinstein coming over the television. Also, there are many news reporters are giving coverage of the trial and events. The city is in chaos after after the sudden killings of Moscone and Milk. The city saw them as champions for the little people, and they were dissatisfied with how White could do something so cruel. Yet, the stasis of the play is found in the courtroom in San Francisco where the attorneys are preparing and giving their opening statements. Dan White is escorted into the courtroom to receive his trial. The clerk announces the trial, and the attorneys follow suit. The television screen gives background, but it is not what is actually happening at the stasis in the courtroom. Norman, representing the prosecution, speaks to the court about the story of the murdered and why Dan White has done what he has done.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
This play varies from ones the class has examined before. The intrusion in the play is broken when the prosecution decides to play back the recording of Dan White's confession. This play back changes the trajectory of the play. The prosecution thought that the defense would be ruined by the advent of the tape, but instead the defense appealed to the emotions of the jury to persuade them of White's innocence. The prosecution puts the nails in their own coffins, and they base their whole case on the fact that White confessed to killing Moscone and Milk. Yet, they forget that the whole time that White shows sorrow and confusion to why he did what he did. The event turns the trial into where the prosecution is put on the defensive to dig themselves out of the whole they dug. Eventually the defense is able to get White a conviction of Voluntary Manslaughter. The defense argues that White was in a fit of passion and did not have any intent to enter City Hall to kill the two men.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
Today is the day that the ex-supervisor Dan White goes on trial for the killings of Moscone and Milk. The city is in distress and chaos, and one single misstep could see the entire city explode into a fit of rage. The city is on edge, so the prosecution must try to secure a conviction. The people of San Francisco feel betrayed, and they want to see that all people in the city have the opportunity to achieve and find their way. Also, this day takes place close to the mass suicides in South America that hurt San Francisco thus the city was already teetering on emotional distress. Furthermore, in this time of American history "traditional" values are being questioned and at times left behind to many's dismay. The connection of a heterosexual Moscone and gay Milk are seen as foreign to many Americans. This adds to the conflict created by society in the play.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The play sets out to answer the question: Will Dan White be convicted of first degree murder? The play examines the trial closely to show how the prosecution messed up in a way that justice was executed and not upheld. This was due just because the prosecution became too cocky and failed to swing the opinions of the jury. Unfortunately, instead he is charged with voluntary manslaughter because the jury believed the prosecution did not convey that the murders were premeditated.
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Norman wants to see Dan White convicted for murder in the first degree. Norman's fight is preferred by a majority of the people, but he faces many conflicts in his quest. He must face the defense attorney Schmidt, who also shares an individual based conflict together. Essentially the two are fighting against each other in this play, and the only difference is that Schmidt wants White acquitted instead of convicted. Norman also has to face society, especially after he messes the case up with the playing of the recording. He fells that he is unable to secure the outcome he wants, and he finally just wants a conviction for White and he fights himself in messing up and being overconfident. Schmidt faces a lot of trouble from the people of San Francisco who see him as defending a monster. This fight with society also leads to the idea that Schmidt is struggling within. He must do his job, but Schmidt faces maybe feeling awful for getting a guilty man free.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice.
The event that is most theatrical is the announcing of the courts verdict for the trial. The city is left in shock when the court announces the jury finds him guilty of voluntary manslaughter instead of first degree murder. The playwright captivates the audience by citing the facial expressions of the people and how they cry at the announcement. The audience is thrust into the fray of emotion that is experienced by the characters, and makes the audience understand the outcome of the play even if there were no words. Also, the playing of the recording puts the audience into the interrogation room. This ultimately allows White to get off with a minor sentences and propels the rest of the play to its conclusion.
Note: The dramatic action in this play does not flow in the same manner as that in Trifles, Wedding Band, Real Women Have Curves, and Split Second. For one thing, Mann has built her play around interviews with individuals who lived thru the incidents depicted in the play, such as friends of Milk, reporters who covered the trial, even jurors who spoke out after the trial was over. This approach to the construction of a play is unique and often challenging to readers. It generally works well on the stage but not so well in the study. We see another playwright use this technique with very different results in Fires in the Mirror. So, the questions posed about the construction of the play do not easily follow Ball’s method of analysis.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The opening scene tells the audience what has happened to Moscone and Milk by Feinstein coming over the television. Also, there are many news reporters are giving coverage of the trial and events. The city is in chaos after after the sudden killings of Moscone and Milk. The city saw them as champions for the little people, and they were dissatisfied with how White could do something so cruel. Yet, the stasis of the play is found in the courtroom in San Francisco where the attorneys are preparing and giving their opening statements. Dan White is escorted into the courtroom to receive his trial. The clerk announces the trial, and the attorneys follow suit. The television screen gives background, but it is not what is actually happening at the stasis in the courtroom. Norman, representing the prosecution, speaks to the court about the story of the murdered and why Dan White has done what he has done.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
This play varies from ones the class has examined before. The intrusion in the play is broken when the prosecution decides to play back the recording of Dan White's confession. This play back changes the trajectory of the play. The prosecution thought that the defense would be ruined by the advent of the tape, but instead the defense appealed to the emotions of the jury to persuade them of White's innocence. The prosecution puts the nails in their own coffins, and they base their whole case on the fact that White confessed to killing Moscone and Milk. Yet, they forget that the whole time that White shows sorrow and confusion to why he did what he did. The event turns the trial into where the prosecution is put on the defensive to dig themselves out of the whole they dug. Eventually the defense is able to get White a conviction of Voluntary Manslaughter. The defense argues that White was in a fit of passion and did not have any intent to enter City Hall to kill the two men.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
Today is the day that the ex-supervisor Dan White goes on trial for the killings of Moscone and Milk. The city is in distress and chaos, and one single misstep could see the entire city explode into a fit of rage. The city is on edge, so the prosecution must try to secure a conviction. The people of San Francisco feel betrayed, and they want to see that all people in the city have the opportunity to achieve and find their way. Also, this day takes place close to the mass suicides in South America that hurt San Francisco thus the city was already teetering on emotional distress. Furthermore, in this time of American history "traditional" values are being questioned and at times left behind to many's dismay. The connection of a heterosexual Moscone and gay Milk are seen as foreign to many Americans. This adds to the conflict created by society in the play.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The play sets out to answer the question: Will Dan White be convicted of first degree murder? The play examines the trial closely to show how the prosecution messed up in a way that justice was executed and not upheld. This was due just because the prosecution became too cocky and failed to swing the opinions of the jury. Unfortunately, instead he is charged with voluntary manslaughter because the jury believed the prosecution did not convey that the murders were premeditated.
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Norman wants to see Dan White convicted for murder in the first degree. Norman's fight is preferred by a majority of the people, but he faces many conflicts in his quest. He must face the defense attorney Schmidt, who also shares an individual based conflict together. Essentially the two are fighting against each other in this play, and the only difference is that Schmidt wants White acquitted instead of convicted. Norman also has to face society, especially after he messes the case up with the playing of the recording. He fells that he is unable to secure the outcome he wants, and he finally just wants a conviction for White and he fights himself in messing up and being overconfident. Schmidt faces a lot of trouble from the people of San Francisco who see him as defending a monster. This fight with society also leads to the idea that Schmidt is struggling within. He must do his job, but Schmidt faces maybe feeling awful for getting a guilty man free.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice.
The event that is most theatrical is the announcing of the courts verdict for the trial. The city is left in shock when the court announces the jury finds him guilty of voluntary manslaughter instead of first degree murder. The playwright captivates the audience by citing the facial expressions of the people and how they cry at the announcement. The audience is thrust into the fray of emotion that is experienced by the characters, and makes the audience understand the outcome of the play even if there were no words. Also, the playing of the recording puts the audience into the interrogation room. This ultimately allows White to get off with a minor sentences and propels the rest of the play to its conclusion.